Drip catcher for pitchers or the like



1954 A. c. DE cAMPos BUENO 2,696,091

DRIP CATCHER FOR PITCHERS OR THE LIKE Filed June 26, 1953 IN VE N T 0!? ADALBERTO 605M DEGAMPOS BUENO Mia/24% H/S A T TORNEYS United States Patent DRIP CATCHER FOR PITCHERS OR THE LIKE Adalberto Costa de Campos Bueno, Berkeley, Calif.

Application June 26, 1953, Serial No. 364,424

2 Claims. (Cl. 65-31) My invention relates to drip catchers and more particularly to a drip catcher for use in connection with pitchers or similar articles from which liquid is dispensed.

Attempts in the past to solve the problem of dripping from pitchers and other similar containers, following pouring of liquid contents therefrom, have been directed largely toward the inclusion, in the body of such article, of an integral trough or equivalent, into which drippings would fall or be guided.

This manner of solving such problem, not only complicated the molds wherein such articles were formed, but did not adequately fulfill its purpose, in that the trough in such device, could not conveniently be emptied, except by practically upsetting the article itself and losing the contents thereof.

Among the objects of the present invention are:

1. T 0 provide a novel and improved means for catching drips;

2. To provide a novel and improved drip catching means for use with pitchers and like containers, and wllgose utility is not confined-to a specific pitcher or the li e;

3. To provide a novel and improved drip catching means capable of being emptied independently of the pitcher or the like with which it is used;

4. To provide a novel and improved drip catching means as a separate article of manufacture.

Additional objects of my invention will be brought out in the following description of a preferred embodiment of the same, taken in conjunction with the following drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the drip catching means of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a view in section in the plane 2-2 of Figure Figure 3 is a view in section in the plane 33 of Figure 1; and

Figure 4 is a view depicting the manner of use of the device of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings for details of my invention in its preferred form, the same comprises a receptacle 1 open at its upper end, and having a rear wall 3 extending upwardly above the front wall 5, along a curve preferably of slightly smaller radius than the curvature of the average pitcher below the pouring lip 6 of such a pitcher.

Preferably the receptacle is formed, by taking a metal strip and bending it to'provide the front and rear walls, the side walls 7 and 9 of the receptacle being applied and soldered or otherwise aflixed to the edges of the strip. These side walls are preferably bulged to increase the capacity of the receptacle.

From the upper end of the rear wall, the strip is carried over on a bend 11 to a point centrally of the receptacle opening, at which point it is directed upwardly on a reverse bend 13 and then terminated in a rearwardly directed loop 15 adapted to engage the under surface of the pouring lip 6 of the pitcher, while the rear surface of the receptacle contacts the front wall of the pitcher below such lip. The sides of the loop are preferably closed in by side walls 22.

The upwardly directed portion of the strip constitutes a stem 23 for attachment of a clip 25 preferably of spring wire, formed to straddle the pouring lip of the pitcher, such clip including a front leg 27 and a rear leg 29.

ICC

The front leg lies along the stem to which it is affixed by welding or soldering, and terminates in line with the receptacle opening.

The rear leg preferably terminates in an S bend adapted to bear against the inner surface of the pitcher and hold the drip receptacle against the front wall below the lip thereof. In this position, the stem loop 15 serves to help stabilize the receptacle.

The clip in conjunction with the structure and shape of the receptacle, enables the assembly to be readily applied and removed, and when applied, will not interfere with pouring of the contents from the pitcher. Following a pouring operation, any drips forming on the outside portion of the clip, will be guided down the front leg thereof, from which it will drop into the receptacle, and similarly, any drips forming on the lip of the pitcher will collect on the stem loop from where they will also be guided into the receptacle.

The liquid thus caught in the receptacle, may be trapped therein against spilling during the next pouring operation, by providing an inward lip 31 at the upper end of the front wall of the receptacle.

When sufficient liquid has accumulated in the receptacle, the receptacle may be readily removed and emptied without disturbing the pitcher or its contents, and then restored in its empty condition to its position on the pitcher for further use.

It will be apparent from the foregoing, that the device of my invention is subject to alteration and modification without departing from the underlying principles involved, and while I have described the same in its preferred form, and in some detail, I do not desire to be limited in my protection to such details except as may be necessitated by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A drip catcher for a pitcher, comprising a receptacle formed of a strip of material curved to provide a front wall and a rear wall rising above the front wall and having a curvature of smaller radius than the curvature of the front wall of such pitcher just below the lip thereof, and side walls affixed to the edges of said strip leaving an opening in the upper end of said receptacle, said strip at the upper end of said rear wall being bent to form a receptacle stem, said stem terminating at its upper end in a loop adapted to engage the under side of the lip of such pitcher, and means attached to said stem for removably clipping said receptacle to such pitcher.

2. A drip catcher for a pitcher, comprising a receptacle formed of a strip of material curved to provide a front wall and a rear wall rising above the front wall and having a curvature of smaller radius than the curvature of the front wall of such pitcher just below the lip thereof, and side walls aflixed to the edges of said strip leaving an opening in the upper end of said receptacle, said strip at the upper end of said rear wall being bent to form a receptacle stem, said stem terminating at its upper end in a loop adapted to engage the under side of the lip of such pitcher, and means for removably clipping said receptacle to such pitcher, said means involving a wire spring having a front leg and a rear leg and adapted to straddle said lip, said front leg extending down along said receptacle stem and being afliXed thereto.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 259,932 Sims et a1 June 20, 1882 510,835 Blair Dec. 12, 1893 617,801 Berkstresser Jan. 17, 1899 720,041 Mahon Feb. 10, 1903 866,807 Pitts Sept. 24, 1907 1,305,777 Cunningham June 3, 1919 1,724,689 Wilson Aug. 13, 1929 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 17,694 Great Britain Aug. 15, 1904 330,674 France Aug. 24, 1903 63,420 Germany July 18, 1892 

